Word ladder answers for June 25, 2026

The daily ladder for Thursday, June 25, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was ICE to TRIPE, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was SKEWED to STEPPED, which needs at least 7.

Each solution below is hidden until you open it, so you can try the puzzle first. A shortest solution is shown for every puzzle; many ladders have more than one path of the same length, so yours may differ and still be optimal.

Puzzle 1: ICE to TRIPE

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps

Show the solution
  1. add R
  2. C becomes P
  3. add T

Words in this ladder

ICE noun
water frozen in the solid state
RICE noun
grains used as food either unpolished or more often polished
RIPE adjective
fully developed or matured and ready to be eaten or used
TRIPE noun
lining of the stomach of a ruminant (especially a bovine) used as food

Puzzle 2: DROPS to GRIDS

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps

Show the solution
  1. O becomes I
  2. D becomes G
  3. P becomes D

Words in this ladder

DROPS noun
a shape that is spherical and small
DRIPS noun
flowing in drops; the formation and falling of drops of liquid
GRIPS noun
the act of grasping
GRIDS noun
a pattern of regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines

Puzzle 3: MINES to CARTES

Medium Shortest solution: 4 steps

Show the solution
  1. I becomes A
  2. M becomes C
  3. N becomes R
  4. add T

Words in this ladder

MINES noun
excavation in the earth from which ores and minerals are extracted
MANES noun
a Persian prophet who founded Manichaeism (216-276)
CANES noun
a stick that people can lean on to help them walk
CARES noun
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
CARTES noun
a list of dishes available at a restaurant

Puzzle 4: STOATS to SPOOLS

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  1. T becomes H
  2. A becomes O
  3. T becomes K
  4. H becomes P
  5. K becomes L

Words in this ladder

STOATS noun
the ermine in its brown summer coat with black-tipped tail
SHOATS noun
a young pig
SHOOTS noun
a new branch
SHOOKS noun
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
SPOOKS noun
someone unpleasantly strange or eccentric
SPOOLS noun
a winder around which thread or tape or film or other flexible materials can be wound

Puzzle 5: SKEWED to STEPPED

Hard Shortest solution: 7 steps

Show the solution
  1. K becomes T
  2. E becomes O
  3. T becomes L
  4. W becomes P
  5. add P
  6. L becomes T
  7. O becomes E

Words in this ladder

SKEWED verb
turn or place at an angle
STEWED verb
be in a huff; be silent or sullen
STOWED verb
fill by packing tightly
SLOWED verb
lose velocity; move more slowly
SLOPED verb
be at an angle
SLOPPED verb
cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container
STOPPED verb
come to a halt, stop moving
STEPPED verb
shift or move by taking a step

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